5 of the best biking and hiking trails near Sacramento

Yes, it’s winter and most people are talking about hitting the slopes, but as soon as this rain dies down it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy our amazing trails! Unlike the clay soil found towards the coast the ground here holds up beautifully during the rainy season. These are 5 of my favorites trails and you should check them out.

1 – Connector Trail
Distance – 3.7 miles
Difficulty – Intermediate
Trailhead – Just past Auburn look for a turnout off Lake Clementine Rd about .6 miles from Foresthill Rd.
Flowy smooth single track set in the foothills above Clementine Lake, it doesn’t get much better than this. This trail is such a blast to ride. It stays pretty level except for one good sized drop and climb back up. Ride it as an out and back or connect it to the Foresthill Divide trail either way you can’t go wrong.

2 – Foresthill Divide
Distance – 11 miles
Difficulty – Intermediate
Trailhead – FHDL Trailhead off Foresthill Rd. The state park charges for parking unless you have a park pass.
This 11 mile singletrack loop will give you a great workout and leave you with a smile on your face. Definitely a trail for the more experienced rider it has a little bit of everything, big climbs, some technical parts, and some fantastic downhill sections. Don’t miss this one!

3 – Granite Bay Trail
Distance – 7.3 miles
Difficulty – Beginner
Location – Folsom Lake Park in Granite Bay at the end of Douglas Blvd. The state park charges for parking unless you have a park pass.
At the end of the day this might be my favorite trail in the area. It’s easy to get to and just a ton of fun. You are not going to be able to brag to any of your friends about breaking any biking records, but turns out that no one likes hearing about how far we rode or how much elevation we climbed. So, just turn Strava off and go out and enjoy, you will have a blast I promise. Need more? Great, do another lap. This is an excellent trail to bring newbies to, don’t do what I do and take them to one of the trails listed above and scare them away from biking forever. Whatever the case you will have a great time on this trail I guarantee it!

4 – Salmon Falls
Distance – 16 miles
Difficulty – Intermediate
Trailhead – Skunk Hollow Parking lot off Salmon Falls Rd.
Yeah, you knew I was going mention this trail. If you are in the Folsom/Eldorado Hills area and need a good trail, Salmon Falls has got you covered. This out and back features some technical sections, a few steep climbs and a healthy amount of flowing singletrack. Enjoy the view as you ride along Folsom Lake with this classic.

5 – Lake Natoma Loop
Distance – 12 miles
Difficulty – Easy
Trailhead – Start at either Old Folsom or at the Nimbus Flat day use area.
Great for a quick ride after work. Dirt on the south side of the lake and pavement on the north side. Easy trail access and great for beginners. The trail tends to get busy later in the day and on weekends so keep your eyes out for others and enjoy.